The Conversation
by wbelisabeth
Summary: Two Years Later. When all is said and done.


**Title:** A Conversation  
**Author: **wbelisabeth  
**Summary: **Two Years Later. When all is said and done.  
**Words: **Approx. 1100  
**Rating:** PG, but again I would say it's ok for anyone.  
**Pairing:** Callie/Arizona. duh.  
**Warnings: **None. It's just a fluffy/drabbly/timewasting fic  
**Disclaimer:** All copyrighted materials referenced within this fan-fiction are not mine. I do not own Grey's Anatomy or any characters of Grey's. This is for entertainment purposes only. I am not making any money out of this whatsoever. Any real people, places, events etc referenced in this work of fiction have been done so in an entirely fictional manner and is not meant to be libelous or defamatory.

Again beta'd by **jesross** LJ user (THANK YOU!) ... but I've added stuff to it, so if there are bits that look like they haven't been beta'd... it's my additions, my apologies!

"I can't live without you and our ten kids."  
Cue the perfect romantic TV moment. (With the kissing and the people passing by and the music. Sigh.)

**2 years later.**  
"This is a great opportunity, I don't understand why you aren't seriously thinking about it. Really. Head of Orthopedic Surgery… you've only been an attending for three years Calliope, it's awesome. Really, really awesome."

"Which part? The part where I am on the other side of the country? The part where you are still on this side of the country?"

"Think about this. Head of Orthopedic Surgery. It could really put you into a position for Chief of Surgery one day. You would even have your own research budget."

"We would be so far apart that we would be in different timezones. It's so far I'd get jetlag when I'd come to visit. Did you hear that... I would 'visit' you. Visit Arizona? No. I'm not even – just… No."

"Please Callie consider it. I don't want to hold you back from your dream."

And there it was. The reason for Arizona's pleading.

Callie thought back to that day when words had been fueled by anger and hurt, and then suddenly fueled by relief and adrenaline. Every day since she woke up and thanked god for Arizona. Every single day. No matter what was said, no matter what they had to face, she was thankful every day.

The brunette looked over at the peds surgeon whose eyes were pleading with her to consider a different life. A life without those blue eyes. Callie looked at the blonde and saw the sadness, she saw that she had stopped breathing, in anticipation of a reply.

She pulled Arizona close and wrapped her arms around her, her mouth level with the blonde's ear.

"Breathe baby, just breathe." Once the blonde did as instructed, the brunette pulled away and blue eyes met brown. Callie rested her head against Arizona's.

"I know you are terrified that I am going to ask you for those ten kids. I know you are terrified that we are going to relive the arguments of two years ago because you really don't want kids. But let me just tell you some things. You are my dream. You are my sunrise and my sunset. You are my world. You've tried to change, I know you've tried to want what I want and it's time for me to say enough. You are enough. If I wanted to be the Head of Ortho or Chief of Surgery or if I wanted huge funding for my research or any of the other crap they were offering… maybe I'd think about it, but I don't. I love my life the way it is. I love my job and I love you. The end. No doubts. No regrets. Just you and me."

Arizona's eyes started to water and her breathing started to become erratic. Soon sobs overtook her.

"I'm sorry." For her part, she had tried. She tried to be excited when Meredith Grey had given birth to Luke. She had tried to feel enthusiasm. She tried to fight off the horror she felt when she thought of having her own. Every step closer to kids she had gulped a little harder, she had scolded herself a little harsher, she tried a little more to reconcile herself to the huge adjustment it would be. She liked kids. She was good with them. She could do this. But every time a friend would announce a marriage or birth, it had been more and more difficult to suppress her feelings. The offer for Callie to be head of orthopaedic surgery at one of the best teaching hospitals on the East coast was such an honour, and yet for Arizona it seemed to be just another way she was holding Callie back. She had fought internally for days before mentioning it. Callie had brushed it off immediately and so it began. In the same way they had avoided everything two years ago, they avoided this. Only this time it was Arizona who had pushed the issue. She pushed it until this very moment.

"Don't be sorry." Callie smiled genuinely, rubbing circles on her girlfriends back. "You do not need to be sorry."

"You said it yourself, it was your dream."

"My dream was a family and, with you, I have that. You are my family. I'm not giving you up for anyone or anything. Not for some snobby job. Not for some imaginary children."

"How… how did you know?"

"Apart from the fact that you were trying to send me to the other side of the country?" She asked with a slight chuckle present in her voice. "When Lexie told us she was pregnant. I felt your hand tense onto mine for a second. That's when I knew for sure, but the look in your eyes every time I held Luke Sheppard, kind of gave it away too. And then there is every time someone brings up babies of any description when I am around you, you look at me and then your shoes. That helped too." Again she had brought so much levity to a sentence that Arizona saw as bringing her so much pain.

Arizona couldn't keep her tears at bay any longer, she once again began to sob, whispering 'I'm so sorry' repeatedly. Callie wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and comforted her with her touch. Once the sobs had slowed and the whispered apologies from Arizona had ceased, Callie pulled her tight and said in a strong voice.

"It's ok. We are more than ok."

And she meant it. She had meant what she had said that day and she had meant what she was saying now. Arizona looked at her girlfriend with guilt written over her face. She couldn't do this to her again. She couldn't put the woman in front of her through this pain again. Her thoughts were stopped by a caress of her check. By habit she leaned into it and closed her eyes.

"Please Arizona, I can do anything when you are by my side. Let me do this."

Reasons why she should let the brunette walk away filled her mind. Thought upon thought drifted in and out of her awareness, but the one thing that remained constant was the olive skinned hand with dark blue nail polish covered nails, caressing her cheek. She opened her eyes expecting to see brown eyes begging or filled with tears, but instead she saw a smile. That's when she knew. No matter how selfish she was being. No matter how much she wanted to let Callie go. She would never do it. She could never do it.


End file.
